


Cappuccino

by Nylocke



Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Coffee Shops, College, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Grocery Store, Light Bondage, M/M, Shotgunning, and then more fluff in an attempt to cleanse my soul, fluff for like 7 chapters, long fic, then some sin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-25 14:14:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7536016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nylocke/pseuds/Nylocke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another good thing was that the grocery store was how he had met Lothar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks very much to Alyrianna for beta reading this! She's a gem and an excellent editor. Also, this is my first AU ever! We didn't have a coffee shop AU yet, so I've taken it upon myself to fix that. Hope you enjoy!

Every day was the same for Khadgar.

He woke up every day at six o’clock in the morning. He showered, dressed, and left his parents’ house to get to work by quarter-till-seven. He arrived at the small grocery store, Country Market, and parked in the same parking spot as he did every day before going in the back entrance. He never locked his car--he didn’t need to in this part of town. He shoved his keys in his locker and put on his vest and name tag. He waited by the clock until the time struck exactly seven o’clock, at which time he would punch in and make his way to the front of the store.

His manager, Medivh, would greet him with a grunt as he passed the customer service desk; Medivh was not a morning person and was always hunched over a cup of coffee. Khadgar checked the schedule, just confirming he was on the same register as always, and then cleaned his belt before flicking his lane light on to signal he was ready for customers. His friend and co-worker, Garona, was consistently late for work, so she arrived around quarter-past-seven. She walked past the customer service desk with a smug smirk before checking the schedule and opening her own register. She never cleaned the belt. She nodded a hello to Khadgar, who nodded back. 

They worked until five o’clock in the evening, at which time the evening shift employees arrived to take over their registers. He and Garona pulled their drawers out, counted them in the office, and walked out together, chatting casually. Khadgar returned to his parents’ house, ate dinner, and went to his room to study until he couldn’t stay awake anymore, and then he went to bed. That was how it was every day. 

Khadgar tried not to let the monotony get to him. Some days, it was harder than others. He was going to Kirin Tor University for applied mathematics, and he reminded himself constantly that Country Market was just a stepping stone--a means to an end--to pay his way through college. He didn’t want to take out student loans; starting his adult life in debt wasn’t exactly an attractive idea. Still, living his summers in a rut wasn’t particularly attractive either. The emptiness of the situation occasionally hit him hard, especially on nights when he stayed up ridiculously late to work out an equation. He knew he was intelligent; his parents had drilled that into him since he was young. They constantly reminded him that he had so much potential, that he was so gifted, so blessed to have the brains to do whatever he wanted. It was overwhelming sometimes, the possibilities that stretched out before him like an ocean. It made it incredibly hard for him to motivate himself; he would get the sinking feeling that no matter what he did with his life, some amount of his potential would be wasted. 

It was for that reason that Khadgar stayed up late teaching himself--about anything and everything he could ever want to know. He had taught himself three languages and was currently working on a fourth. He taught himself about history and about the oceans; about music and poetry. Knowledge was something he valued above everything else, knowing it was something that no one could ever take from him. He loved to learn, oh yes; he just wished it wasn’t so expensive. The crushing costs of college had plagued him since he was young; he had no idea how he was going to pay for a good school. KTU was a good school; they had a prestigious name, an excellent math and science program, but it was only two hours away from his parents’ house. They had insisted he live on campus for this reason. The commute was too long to do every day, and how would he make any friends or grow up without the “college experience”? To their credit, they did their best to help pay for room and board, and scholarships helped a _lot_ , but Khadgar was still left to pay for most of it; so he worked long hours over the summer to pay his own way, determined to remain free of student debt. 

He finally had his first year of college behind him, and he was thankful to have a summer job that payed well, despite its shortcomings. There were good things about it, too, of course. He had met Garona there, for instance, and she had quickly become one of the best friends he ever had. 

Another good thing was that the grocery store was how he had met Lothar. 

He had seen the man walk into the store, golden-brown hair falling lazily about his bearded face. What stopped Khadgar’s heart, however, was the man’s eyes: bluer than the ocean and brighter than the lightning that crackled through the sky in a summer storm. He didn’t realize he was staring until an older lady came through his line, clearing her throat almost indignantly to catch his attention. He heard Garona stifled a laugh at the register next to him as a blush bloomed across his cheeks. 

Khadgar kept catching glimpses of the man as he strolled through the store, picking this and that off the shelves, comparing prices, examining packages. He tried--and failed--to stop himself from staring. The fourth time Garona caught him doing it, she laughed out loud, startling him from his daydream.

“You know, you keep insisting that you’re asexual, Khadgar,” she teased.

“I am,” Khadgar replied, though his eyes lingered on the man shopping. “Just because I’m ace doesn’t mean I’m _blind_. I mean, look at him.”

Garona rolled her eyes. “He’s not really my type, you know?”

“What, male?” Khadgar threw back at her. She grinned.

“You know me so well,” she said with an air of false flattery. Khadgar smiled. “You doing anything after work?” she asked. Khadgar couldn’t help his eyes from finding their way back to the man in the aisles. Garona snorted. 

“Easy there, ace boy,” she teased. Khadgar bit his lip. 

********

Lothar had _definitely_ noticed the boy running the cash register. He had noticed his thick, dark hair, that was just a tad too long, his plump, pink lips, and bright brown eyes the color of honeyed whiskey. He had also particularly noticed the way the boy kept casting sideways glances at him when he thought he wasn't looking. He smiled despite himself; it had been quite a while since he found himself staring at another man like this. When he was done shopping, his feet carried him through the boy’s line almost on their own.

Khadgar was startled out of his daydreaming as Lothar set his grocery basket down on the belt. He could feel his heart flutter in his chest as he stared into the eyes of the man he had been staring at for what seemed like hours. He swallowed and forced himself to smile innocently.

“Hello, how are you doing today?” Khadgar asked. 

“Fine, thanks,” Lothar replied, “How are you?”

“Great,” Khadgar heard himself say. Garona snorted from the next register over. He shot her a glare before he pulled the grocery basket towards himself and begun ringing up the man’s groceries. He could feel the heat in his cheeks and prayed to every god in history that the man didn’t notice.

Lothar most certainly noticed, and he smiled to himself. “Busy day?” he asked, making casual conversation. 

“Not really,” Khadgar said, shaking his head. “It’s been pretty slow all week. I think the heat keeps people inside, mostly,” he continued. Lothar’s smile widened, and his tongue slipped out to moisten his lips, causing Khadgar’s breath to catch in his throat. 

“How long have you been working here?” Lothar asked. 

“I started last summer. I only work summers since I take classes in the fall and spring.” Khadgar could feel himself start to ramble, but he couldn’t stop himself; conversation flowed so naturally with this man. “I’m trying to get through college without too much debt, so I work as much as I can over the summer to pay for it.”

“What are you going to college for?” Lothar pressed.

“Applied mathematics.”

“Ah,” Lothar chuckled, “A bookworm, eh?” Khadgar could feel himself blushing deeper. This only caused the man to laugh at the darkening of his cheeks, the sound bright and mirthful as it filled the small store. 

Khadgar couldn’t help but feel sad when he finished ringing up Lothar’s groceries and he saw the other man fish a card out of his wallet. “Will this be credit or debit today?” 

“Credit,” Lothar replied, sliding his card. Khadgar worried at his lower lip absentmindedly. The register spit out the man’s receipt, which Khadgar handed him with a smile.

“Thanks, uh-” Lothar paused, checking the boy’s name tag, “Khadgar.”

“Thank you, er--”

“Lothar. Anduin Lothar. My friends call me Lothar, though. Not sure why I told you my first name, to be honest.” Lothar smirked. Khadgar nodded and smiled, in spite of himself. 

“Thank you, Lothar. Have a good one!”

Lothar gave him a nod as he left, grocery bags dangling from his strong arms. Khadgar found his eyes lingering on the man as he walked out the doors.

“Hey,” Garona’s voice brought him back to his senses. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she said with a wink. Khadgar threw a pen at her, which only resulted in her cackling manically at him. 

********

Lothar was back in the store a few days later. Khadgar felt his heart flutter again as the man placed his basket on Khadgar’s register once more. 

“Welcome back,” Khadgar said cheerfully. Lothar raised an eyebrow.

“You remember me, eh?” 

Khadgar blushed despite himself. “Well, yeah, I… How are you doing today, Lothar?”

A smirk pulled at Lothar’s lips. “I’m doing pretty well. How are you, Khadgar?”

“Great, thanks,” Khadgar replied with a smile. 

“Are you always great?”

“Only when you’re here,” Garona’s voice chimed in from the next register. The two men stared at her as she cracked her chewing gum, an eyebrow raised.

“Garona, you’re not supposed to chew gum at the register.” Khadgar pointed out, pulling the conversation back. She blew a large bubble in response, letting it pop loudly. Lothar chuckled. 

“So,” Khadgar said, “what brings you back so soon, Lothar?” 

“I was visiting my parents last time I was here, stopped by to get a few things. Turns out I forgot my jacket at their house, so I came back to get it. Figured I’d stop in for a few more things,” he said, his eyes piercing Khadgar. “You guys have great prices here.”

“People come from pretty far for our prices,” Khadgar agreed. Lothar smirked.

“Is that right?”

Khadgar nodded. The innocent smile on his face was enough to melt Lothar’s heart. 

Khadgar was almost sad to see the man go. Secretly, he hoped that Lothar would visit his parents again soon so he could stop in for more groceries. 

********

The next time Lothar stopped by the store, he hadn’t even bothered to visit his parents. He tried to justify it to himself, driving the whole way here just for some cereal. Really, he couldn’t beat the deals! That’s all it was. Less than a dollar for cereal? That’s worth the drive. Of course, Khadgar was also worth the drive. 

When he pulled into the parking lot, Khadgar was pushing a stack of shopping carts into the cart stock by the door. Lothar brought a bottle of water with him as he parked his car and walked towards the younger man. 

“Hey, bookworm,” he called, “what are you doing out here?”

Khadgar turned to face him, his sweaty face breaking into a wide smile.

“Hey, Lothar,” he said cheerily. “We’re understaffed today, so I’m pulling in some carts.” 

“Here,” Lothar said, handing him the water bottle, “you need to stay hydrated. It’s hot out here today.”

Khadgar’s smile widened as he took the bottle. “Thank you so much,” he said before drinking deeply. The bottle was empty when he put it down, licking his lips. The sight of that soft pink tongue darting out from between Khadgar’s plush lips got to Lothar more than he’d like to admit. “I owe you one.”

Lothar’s eyebrow arched up towards his hairline, a mischievous smile on his face. “I’ll be sure to remember that, Khadgar,” he teased. He laughed as the blush he was hoping to see rose to Khadgar’s face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Country Market has the best deals, and you work there, so it’s worth the drive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The more I read over this fic, the more I realize it's a shameless mess of literary cotton candy; sweet and fluffy and likely to give you diabetes. I just want these nerds to be happy. 
> 
> Anyway, there's actually a coffee shop in this chapter! Thanks again to Alryianna for being an excellent beta reader. Here's to you, love.

A warm, summer breeze ruffled Khadgar’s hair as he sat in the grass, back resting against a tree. The light filtered through the leaves, the speckles of green and golden light shining through and dancing across the pages of his book. He knew he should be in the office of Kirin Tor University right now, scheduling his classes and getting ready for the next semester, but it was such a nice day outside, so he was sitting on the lawn of the campus instead. They hadn’t had a day this lovely all summer; it had been extremely hot, the kind of humid, sticky hot that made it hard to breathe. For once, the air was clear, and Khadgar wanted to enjoy it. Besides, he really didn’t feel like scheduling his classes.

He closed his book and let his head rest against the tree as he closed his eyes, the sunlight streaming down and warm on his face. He took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. Why did it have to be such a beautiful day when he needed to get things done? 

He hoisted himself off the ground, grabbing his bag and shoving his book into it before throwing the strap over his shoulder. He decided he would get some coffee at the cafe down the street. He had never been there, but his friends had mentioned that it was good. Coffee shops always seemed to calm him down and the upcoming semester had him kind of stressed- so he could use the treat. 

The bell on the door rang as he pushed it open, and a cool draft of air conditioning hit his face, carrying with it the gentle scent of coffee and pastries. He smiled, looking around the cozy little cafe. 

“Bookworm?”

The familiar voice made him jump, his eyes wide as he stared in the direction of the voice. Standing behind the counter was Lothar, apron over his white button-up shirt and hair pulled into a neat bun. 

“Lothar?” Khadgar asked, shocked. “What are you doing here?” He approached the counter, leaning against it slightly. Lothar smirked.

“This is my job. I work here.”

Khadgar blinked. “You work in a coffee shop? Here? Near the university?”

“Yes, Khadgar, that’s what I just said.”

“Do you live around here?” Khadgar pressed. Lothar nodded in response, eyebrow cocked in mild amusement. “But… that doesn’t make sense.” Khadgar said slowly. “We’re, like, two hours from Country Market, and you come into the store all the time now.” Lothar nodded slowly as Khadgar pieced everything together. “Do you drive two hours just to go grocery shopping?”

“Yeah,” Lothar replied. “Is that a problem?”

“Well, no.” Khadgar admitted, “But isn’t there a store closer to you? How do you keep your frozen things cold?”

Lothar shrugged. “I manage. Besides, Country Market has the best deals, and you work there, so it’s worth the drive.” Lothar smirked, satisfied as a blush bloomed under Khadgar’s pale skin.

A silence hung between them, and Lothar could practically hear the dial-up tone emanating from Khadgar’s brain. He chuckled to himself. 

“So, what can I get you, Khadgar?”

“Oh, uh…” Khadgar stared up at the menu, his mind unable to process the words there. Did Lothar really just say he drove two hours to shop at a store just because he worked there? “Well, what do you recommend?” he asked, his eyes dropping back to Lothar’s piercing gaze. 

Lothar smiled devilishly. “Let me make you something special, kid,” he replied. Khadgar nodded and sat down at the bar as Lothar got to work. He felt slightly out of place; it was weird for him to be at Lothar’s work for a change. Lothar had become a regular customer over the past month, showing up at the market at least twice a week. Khadgar was used to being the one working when he saw Lothar, and it struck him that it felt odd to be the customer for a change. He hoped Lothar didn’t feel as awkward as he did. 

Lothar slid a large mug across the counter to Khadgar. Foam sat delicately on top of the coffee, a simple but elegant pattern traced into it. Khadgar blinked at the drink before him before staring up at Lothar, brows furrowed.

“You made this?”

Lothar snorted. “Try not to sound so surprised, kid.” Khadgar blushed as he took the cup gently, lifting it to his lips. He almost felt bad for ruining the design, but any trepidation he felt melted away when he tasted the coffee. It was rich and bold, just a touch of sweetness mingling with the strong taste of the coffee. He could taste the vanilla as it washed over his tongue, and he could sense a hint of caramel, adding a sweet kind of warmth to the flavor. It was quite possibly the best coffee he had ever drank in his entire life, and he had downed half the mug before he even realized it. 

“This is fantastic, Lothar.” he said with a wide smile, his eyes alight. Lothar shrugged casually as if to say, ‘It’s what I do.’

Khadgar forced himself to drink slower; he wanted to spend as much time as he could in the coffee shop today, though further procrastination wasn’t his only motivation. He asked Lothar about his job, about the shop, about the coffee. Lothar spoke casually, but Khadgar could see his eyes light up as he spoke, and he could tell Lothar was passionate about his work. Khadgar felt himself melting into Lothar’s words, admiring how someone could find such fulfillment in something so simple. 

As Khadgar finished his coffee and left the shop with a smile and wave from Lothar, he felt more at ease than he had in a long time. There was something refreshing about everything that had happened, and he walked with purpose towards the KTU office building, ready to schedule his classes for the next semester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! Please feel free to leave constructive criticism, and if you want to shoot me a prompt, my tumblr is ocarinaenthusiast.tumblr.com. Cheers!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not going to go easy on you, you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're reading this chapter, I'd like to thank you for sticking with the fic. It's a pretty slow build if you're not reading it all at once, so bear with me as I post a chapter per day. Thanks again to Alyrianna for beta reading and being an all around wonderful human being.

“Here, kid, try this. I brought it from the shop”

Lothar pushed a tall, plastic cup into Khadgar’s hands from across the boy’s cash register. It was cold to the touch, and Khadgar glanced at the straw cautiously. “What is it?”

“A new drink I made,” Lothar answered, pride almost dripping from his voice. “Come on, Khadgar, it won’t kill you.”

Khadgar pressed the straw between his pink lips, sipping tentatively. The cool, sweet taste washed over his tongue, and his eyes lit up as he drank deeply. “This is really good, Lothar! What is it?”

“It’s a watermelon mojito smoothie.” Lothar said, arms folded almost triumphantly. Khadgar’s eyes widened in alarm. 

“This… this isn’t alcoholic, is it?” the boy asked, startled. Lothar laughed.

“No, of course not.” he replied. “Come on, do I look like the kind of person who would get you drunk on the job?” He laughed again as Khadgar narrowed his eyes at him over the drink. “Besides, you’d be able to taste the alcohol in it. You have drank before, haven’t you?”

Lothar stared in disbelief as Khadgar shook his head slowly, pink rising in his cheeks. “Aren’t you in college? Come on, you must have had at least one drink before.”

“I spend most of my time studying.” Khadgar admitted, playing with the straw between his teeth. “I’m not much of a party person. Besides, I’m underage.”

Lothar blinked. “You’re underage.” he repeated, his voice low. “Khadgar, how old are you?”

“Eighteen.” 

“And you’ve already put in a year of college?”

“I graduated high school early.”

“Nerd.” Garona chimed in from the next register. Khadgar squinted at her over Lothar’s shoulder. 

“Damn, I can’t even take you drinking.” Lothar teased, smirking in that self-satisfied way as a familiar blush flushed across Khadgar’s face. He felt a warmth spread in his chest at the thought of Lothar wanting to take him for drinks, like a date. Could Lothar be implying that? No, that would be stupid. He admitted to himself, however, that he wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of going on a date with Lothar; in fact, he would quite enjoy it. Letting Lothar take him to a bar, or maybe a nice restaurant, talking over good food and good drinks. Lothar driving him home, walking him to the door, giving him a kiss before Khadgar invited him in…

“Kid, come back to us.” Lothar’s voice broke through his daydream. “You alright?”

Khadgar nodded, smiling as innocently as he could, despite the fact his face was so hot it was threatening to catch fire. He caught Garona grinning devilishly at him as he shook the thoughts from his head. How could this man make him feel this way? He was asexual, for crying out loud. Wasn’t he?

“Anyway,” Lothar continued, ignoring the color on Khadgar’s cheeks. “There’s going to be a chess tournament at the coffee shop this Sunday. I figured you might be interested, if you’re not busy.”

“I’d love that!” Khadgar smiled brightly, his eyes lighting up. “How did you know I play chess?”

Lothar smirked. “You’re an applied mathematics major. Logic is kind of your thing, isn’t it?” Khadgar nodded in response. “It only makes sense that you’d play chess.” Lothar continued.

“Because you’re a nerd.” Garona added helpfully. Khadgar rolled his eyes at her. 

“I’ll put your name down on the sign-up sheet then, alright?” Lothar asked. Khadgar nodded.

“Thank you!”

A gentle smile broke across Lothar’s face as he ruffled Khadgar’s hair. “Don’t mention it.” he replied. “Take care, guys.” he said as he hoisted his bags onto his arms and left the store. 

“You alright, Khad?” Garona asked after a moment, eyeing him with mild concern. Stunned from the moment Lothar’s hand touched him, he stood stiffly in place, his head practically tingling. 

********

“Checkmate.”

Khadgar sat back in his chair as his opponent’s eyes scanned the board desperately, searching for options. He slumped back a bit as he admitted defeat, and he held his hand out to Khadgar, who took it and gave it a firm shake. 

“That was a good game,” the man admitted, “It’s been awhile since I’ve been challenged like that.” Khadgar smiled, nodding a thanks as the man left. 

“Damn, kid, that’s eight in a row.” Lothar said from beside him, setting a mug on the table in front of Khadgar. Khadgar smiled as he brought it to his lips, the familiar taste reminding him of the first time he had visited the shop. 

“My grandfather taught me when I was four years old.” Khadgar said as Lothar walked around the table, sitting in the now-vacant chair across from Khadgar. Khadgar’s eyes narrowed as Lothar began resetting the pieces. “What are you doing?”

Lothar bit his lips as a cocky smirk danced across them. “Didn’t you look at the roster, bookworm? I’m your next opponent.”

Khadgar’s eyebrows shot up, an incredulous laugh escaping his lips. “I didn’t know you played chess, Lothar.”

Lothar held up his hands innocently, something dangerous dancing in his eyes. “A bit.”

“I’m not going to go easy on you, you know.”

“Likewise, kid.”

********

Khadgar stared at the board with so much concentration that Lothar was almost certain it would burst into flames at any second. His brow furrowed, and his usually bright eyes were dark as they flickered from piece to piece, examining every position, analyzing every possible move. Lothar couldn’t help but think it was incredibly attractive. 

“Stalemate.” Khadgar said with finality, directing his focus to Lothar’s face as he lifted his eyes. Lothar felt his breath catch.

“Stalemate.” he agreed. 

Khadgar stared at the board, their two kings the only pieces left. Lothar had forced Khadgar to take his last pawn with his own final pawn, which Lothar had then taken with his king. They had been completely evenly matched the entire way through the game, neither of them being able to hold an advantage. It left Lothar feeling frustrated, in addition, of course, to the excitement he had begun to feel about halfway through the game when things began to get intense. The color on Khadgar’s cheeks indicated the boy was suffering the same fate. 

“Well, well, well,” Karos, the shop manager, said as he examined the board, “it seems as though we have a tie.”

“You can keep the prize, Lothar,” Khadgar said, leaning back in his chair. Lothar shook his head.

“No, you keep it. It’s a hundred-dollar gift card for the shop, Khadgar,” he continued as Khadgar raised an eyebrow at him. “I get free coffee anyway; I work here. You keep it.” 

Khadgar shifted in his seat, clearly still uncomfortable with taking the prize. He didn’t feel like he had won, so it wasn’t fair for him to take the prize. 

“Hey,” Lothar said, perceiving Khadgar’s reluctance, “if it makes you feel better, we’re technically splitting the prize.”

Khadgar leaned forward slightly, brow cocked curiously. “How do you mean?”

Lothar smiled, mischief glittering in his eyes. “You get the gift card, and I get to see you a lot more often.”

He laughed as Khadgar’s blush deepened; despite the heat he felt in his own cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There has been no plot so far, has there? Sorry about that, bear with me as these nerds slowly fall in love.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sorry.” he murmured, “That was inappropriate. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is coming a bit early today. I was thinking of posting two chapters today since they've been so short, and apparently it was unfair of me to end Chapter 3 where I did (sorry, Delta). This is where things kind of start to pick up, so thanks for sticking with it this far! Also, thanks to Alyrianna for beta reading and being lovely.

Lothar twirled his hair between his fingers absentmindedly, his teeth running back and forth over his bottom lip as he stared at the door.

“Something on your mind, Lothar?” Draka asked as she passed, balancing a tray of dishes on one hand. Draka had worked at the coffee shop for as long as Lothar could remember. She was a close friend, no doubt; calm and casual but fiercely loyal. She usually cleaned the tables and washed the dishes, but she was also an excellent guitar player, and she would sometimes play live music in the shop. 

Lothar shrugged casually. “No, it’s nothing, really.” 

Draka smirked, setting the tray down in the sink and resting a hand on her pregnant belly. “It’s that kid, isn’t it?”

“Khadgar.” Lothar mumbled in affirmation. “He hasn’t been in the shop for a while.”

“He might be busy.” Draka pointed out. “He works, and he’s going back to university soon.”

“He’s usually in here at least twice a week, usually more.” Lothar sighed, stretching his back slightly. “I’m worried about him.”

Draka chuckled, and he turned to look at her. “Is something funny to you?”

“You’ve grown fond of him,” she said simply. Lothar scoffed.

“Have not,” he retorted.

“No?”

“No.”

Draka chuckled again, eliciting a rather exaggerated eye roll from Lothar. “If you’re so worried about him, why don’t you go check on him? You haven’t gone to his store recently. Maybe he’s taking that the wrong way.”

Concern creased Lothar’s face. “I just figured that, you know, since he’s been coming here more often, and he’s out here for school, it’s just more convenient, and--”

“Just go visit him, alright?” Draka interrupted. Lothar nodded, biting at his lips once more.

********

Garona was leaning on her register, arms folded and eyes half-closed in obvious boredom. She blew small bubbles with her gum, hardly bothering to chew with her mouth closed.

Lothar set his basket on her register, the smile on his face betrayed by the concern in his eyes. “Hey, Garona, how are you?” he asked casually.

“Khadgar’s on vacation.” she said bluntly, straightening as she began to lazily ring up his groceries. “He’ll be back in about a week.”

Lothar nodded. Relief flickered across his face briefly before his brow furrowed in thought. 

“Where did he go?”

“Ireland.” came the bored reply. She continued to crack her gum as Lothar nodded slowly. 

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Lothar asked after a silence, more to himself than to her. 

Garona stopped chewing her gum. Lothar met her gaze, which suddenly pierced him like a thousand knives. 

“Listen here, pal.” she began, her voice so low it was almost a growl, “Khadgar is my best friend. He’s young and naive, and he’s never been in a relationship.” She leaned in close, and Lothar had to resist the urge to take a step back. There was something primal in her eyes as she stared up at him. “If you hurt him, I will come for you, and I will break you. Understand?”

Lothar nodded, swallowing a lump that had suddenly lodged itself in his throat.

“Good.” she said, straightening once more to finish ringing up his groceries. 

Lothar tossed the words around in his head a bit before speaking them, not sure that he dared to challenge the fierce cashier on the other side of the counter. “What makes you think we’d be in a relationship?” He asked with as much innocence as he could muster. Her eyes searched his face for a moment before she let herself smile.

“You should ask Khadgar when he comes back.”

********

“Why are you all dressed up?” Lothar asked, eyeing Draka with an eyebrow cocked in curiosity. She smiled, shaking her hips ever-so-slightly so her red dress twirled around her legs. 

“Durotan and I are going on a date tonight,” she replied, stroking the swell of her stomach lovingly. “He’s coming to pick me up right after work, so I won’t have time to go home and change. How do I look?”

“Good.” Lothar said with a smile. She began humming to herself as she got back to work, happily wiping the tables down with a wet cloth. 

It was almost closing time, and Lothar could see the sunset painting the sky pink through the window of the shop. He smiled to himself. It had been a week since he had gone to Country Market and talked with Garona, which meant that Khadgar would be back any day now. 

The bell on the door rang as Durotan stepped into the shop. Draka crossed the room to him quickly, dress flowing around her as she leaned up to kiss him. He smiled down at her, finger caressing her cheek as she pulled away. 

“Ready to go?” he asked. She nodded. Lothar smiled to himself, somehow feeling connected to their happiness. He found himself thinking of Khadgar- his bright eyes and soft pink lips. A blush rose to his cheeks as he shook the thought from his head. 

“Be careful, kids.” Lothar called after them teasingly, and Durotan turned as they exited the small cafe, winking at him. Lothar chuckled to himself; he was more than familiar seeing the desire he had noticed in Durotan’s bright eyes whenever his wife was near.

Lothar had just begun cleaning the countertop when the bell on the door rang again. He looked up, and he felt his heart light up in his chest as Khadgar walked through the door. 

“Hey. Welcome back.” Lothar said as Khadgar approached the bar. 

“Thanks.” Khadgar said with a smile as he took his usual seat. “Garona told me that you were asking about me.”

Lothar let a chuckle slip over his lips. “Did she?” He moved almost instinctively, preparing the drink he always made for Khadgar, the same one he had been making for him since Khadgar had first visited the shop. Khadgar smiled as the familiar scents of vanilla and caramel greeted his nose, filling him with a sense of being at home. 

“You didn’t tell me you were going on vacation.” Lothar said with an air of false hurt, “And to Ireland, no less.”

Khadgar looked down at the countertop, smiling sheepishly. “I didn’t think you’d care.”

“I do.”

Khadgar’s head snapped up, his eyebrows nearly disappearing in his hairline as he met Lothar’s gaze. He smiled, a familiar blush beginning to color his cheeks. Lothar couldn’t help but smile back at him, reaching across the counter to ruffle his hair.

Lothar finished making the coffee with a flourish, sliding the mug across the counter to Khadgar, who nodded in thanks. Much to Khadgar’s surprise, Lothar grabbed another cup, filling it with plain black coffee and pulling up a stool. He sat across from Khadgar with a smile on his face and a brightness in his eyes that took Khadgar’s breath away.

“Aren’t you working?” Khadgar inquired into his odd behavior. “What if someone comes in?”

Lothar shrugged, bringing the cup to his lips. His tongue darted out to lick a drop off the rim of the cup as he put it down. “We’re closing in, like, five minutes.”

Khadgar sat up abruptly. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even look, I wasn’t trying to keep you here late.” he stammered as he made to stand. He stopped when Lothar grabbed his wrist, looking up at him with those eyes, deep and blue as the ocean. Khadgar’s heart skipped a beat.

“Stay.” Lothar said, “It’s fine, really.”

“But you have to close the shop.” Khadgar argued. Lothar shrugged again, pulling Khadgar’s wrist slightly so he sat back down. “I don’t want to keep you here.”

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” Lothar said with a smile. Khadgar’s heart nearly stopped. 

“Oh… well. Alright then.” Khadgar murmured, staring at his coffee as Lothar slowly released his wrist, fingers brushing his pale skin as he withdrew his hand. It send shivers down Khadgar’s spine. He picked up his mug, drinking deeply as he let the warm, familiar flavors wash over him. 

“So.” Lothar said, his eyes locked on Khadgar, “Tell me all about your trip.”

Lothar’s heart melted as he watched Khadgar’s eyes light up. He let himself get carried away in Khadgar’s passion as the boy told him every detail, every story, his hands moving excitedly as he talked, that same focus returning to his eyes that had been there when they played chess. Lothar felt that familiar warmth spread through his chest, greeting him like an old friend. It occurred to him that he could quite literally sit in the dimly lit coffee shop and listen to Khadgar talk for the rest of eternity; in fact, it was quite possible that nothing would make him happier. 

He was captivated by Khadgar’s endearing passion, and he realized that Garona had been right; Khadgar was very young and naive. He spoke with the unrefined joy of someone who hadn’t been broken by life, someone who hadn’t had the experiences in life that would wear away rough, wild edges like sand against a rock. His heart ached slightly, knowing that it would happen, that Khadgar would lose this unbridled, unabashed part of his personality, but he let himself get caught in the moment, in the passion that Khadgar had right then and there. 

It wasn’t that Khadgar was unintelligent--there was a brightness in the boy that was beyond compare--and he wasn’t stupid. There was a wisdom in him as well, and Lothar was suddenly aware that Khadgar knew that he would be tamed, smoothed down by time as it ran over him like sand in an hourglass. It was then that he understood exactly how Khadgar felt; how he felt the desperate need to live in the moment--get the most from his youth before it was stripped away from him--though at the same time, he was completely unable to do so as he was herded towards his future. 

“Lothar?”

The boy’s voice brought him back to the conversation, and his eyebrows perked up despite himself. 

“Are you alright?” Khadgar asked, concern apparent in his voice. 

“You’re just really pretty when you get passionate about something.” Lothar said, his eyes gazing into Khadgar’s. He smiled softly as Khadgar’s face rapidly changed from pale to pink to crimson. 

“Oh. Well. Uh. Thanks.” Khadgar stammered, forcing himself to breathe. He held completely still as Lothar reached up, cupping Khadgar’s cheek in his hand. The older man leaned across the counter, planting a gentle kiss on Khadgar’s plump lips. Khadgar was momentarily dazed, unable to move or think as his mind caught up to what was happening. 

Lothar pulled back slightly, his eyes downcast. “Sorry.” he murmured, “That was inappropriate. I shouldn’t have--”

He was interrupted as Khadgar pressed his lips into Lothar’s, smothering his voice. Lothar closed his eyes, allowing himself to get lost in those plush lips he had been wanting to enjoy since he had first met Khadgar. He nearly shivered with joy as he felt Khadgar’s lips part, and he let his tongue slip into Khadgar’s mouth…

“God dammit.” Karos’ voice came from behind him, causing Khadgar to jump nearly a foot in the air. Lothar cast an incredulous glare over his shoulder at his manager, who stood at the entrance to the kitchen with his bag over his shoulder and a look of disappointment on his face. “I thought you had closed up the shop already.”

Khadgar was out the door before Lothar even had the chance to respond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so I will most likely post again tonight at the regular time. I feel bad leaving you guys on a cliffhanger like that. Cheers!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I really wouldn’t want to impose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still feel bad about leaving you guys on that cliffhanger, so I'm posting a bit early. The next chapter may be a bit late; I'm posting too fast for my lovely beta reader, Alyrianna.

It was official: Lothar couldn’t buss tables and make coffee and take orders all by himself. 

Draka had been gone for two weeks now. She had called the shop from the hospital, the grin on her face practically audible over the phone as she told them the news; she had her son. They had named him Go’el, he had been eight pounds and six ounces, he had Durotan’s eyes, and, oh yes, she would be taking maternity leave for several months. 

Karos had posted a “Help Wanted” sign on the door, but there hadn’t been any applicants yet. Lothar had agreed to pick up Draka’s hours until they found a replacement, but each day, he regretted it more and more. He would open the cafe in the morning, work all day, and close up the cafe at night. When he got desperate, he stopped at the convenience store for a quick bite of food on his way home before crashing in his bed. Just so he could do it all over again the next day. 

Worst of all, he hadn’t had enough time to drive the whole way to Country Market to see Khadgar, and the kid hadn’t showed up at the cafe since the night he had returned from vacation. Lothar found himself thinking about that night frequently and in great detail; he had memorized the feeling of Khadgar’s lips on his own, and it made his face warm when he thought of his own tongue tracing those beautiful, pink lips. He desperately hoped he hadn’t ruined everything. 

********

Khadgar chewed his bottom lip until it bled.

It had been two weeks since Lothar had been in the store. The last time they had seen each other was the night they had kissed, and Khadgar was still horribly embarrassed about the whole thing. He hoped he hadn’t gotten Lothar in trouble. He hoped he hadn’t ruined what tentative friendship they had found themselves in. He hoped he hadn’t scared Lothar away. 

Lothar had kissed him first, that much was true. He clung to that fact, hoping desperately that it had meant as much to Lothar as it had to him. He didn’t have any experience with this kind of thing, and he was terrified that he had seemed too needy when he pulled Lothar into a second kiss, parted his lips like a desperate ass. Of course, Lothar had accepted it, hadn’t he? Khadgar felt himself shiver despite himself when he thought of Lothar’s tongue licking at his parted lips…

“Khadgar.” Garona hissed, snapping him back to reality. “Are you thinking about Lothar again? You’re blushing like it’s going out of style.” She grinned smugly as Khadgar’s blush deepened, her gum cracking between her teeth.

“I just… it’s been almost two weeks, and he hasn’t stopped for groceries once.” he sighed, leaning against his register. “I’m worried.”

“He probably got hit by a truck.” Garona teased. She rolled her eyes when Khadgar didn’t react. “Come on. Khadgar, I’m sure everything’s fine.”

“I feel like I ruined something.” he mumbled, biting at his lip again. “I mean, I don’t know how relationships work; hell, I thought I was ace until recently, I--”

“What do you mean, ‘until recently’?” Garona interrupted. Khadgar felt a chill go down his spine as he realized what he had just admitted, to himself as much as to his friend. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

“I don’t know, ever since that night, I’ve just… well, I guess it was before that, really, I dunno, ever since I met him, I’ve just been thinking about a lot. Thinking about myself. Like- I’ve never felt like this about anyone. I’ve never been… _attracted_ to anyone like this. It’s so weird, but… it feels good. It feels good to be with him. That much I know for sure. It feels _right_ , you know?” He sighed again, shaking his head. “I just can’t help but worry that I’ve ruined it.”

Garona nodded. “Look, Khadgar.” she began. He looked over at her, surprised by the earnestness in her voice. “I want you to be happy, you know?” He nodded. “If you’re so worried about it, why not just go to the coffee shop? I’m sure he’ll be there. See how he reacts to seeing you. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.” She smiled with a twinkle in her eye as she finished speaking, and Khadgar couldn’t keep a smile off his face in response.

********

As he drove down the highway, Khadgar let his mind mull over everything that he’d been going through. The past two weeks had been rough. Classes were starting within a few short weeks; he had to scrape together the money to pay for tuition, not to mention room and board. He had been saving what he could all summer, he had his scholarship money, and he had what his parents could contribute, but there was a very big possibility that it wouldn’t be enough. Even if he could afford this semester, the next semester would be completely out of reach. He was only in his second year, and he might already have to take out loans. What if he couldn’t get a good enough job when he was done with university? He’d never pay off his debt; he’d live the rest of his life scraping together enough money just to pay rent. He could feel the anxiety twisting a knot in his stomach as he passed KTU, the beautiful campus looking more like a prison than a school. 

As he pulled into the parking lot of the cafe, he hesitated, fingers gripping the steering wheel till his knuckles turned white. The worst part about these two weeks was the lack of Lothar, the fear that he had messed up dancing in his mind morning, noon, and night. What if he really had ruined whatever had been between them? What if he walked into the cafe and Lothar wasn’t happy to see him? Would be he angry? Would he treat him like any other customer, as if they had never known each other? Khadgar didn’t know which would be worse. He shook his head, clearing his mind, forcing himself out of his car and towards the door.

The bell on the door rang as he entered. Lothar didn’t notice him come in. He was leaning over a table, rubbing furiously at a spot that refused to come up. Khadgar couldn’t help but stare a bit before shaking the self-deprecating thoughts from his head, focusing on the task at hand. 

“Lothar?” he said softly. Lothar whirled around, and Khadgar’s heart fluttered as Lothar stared at him with those gorgeous blue eyes, surprise glittering in them before a wide grin broke across his face. 

“Khadgar!” He replied, clapping a hand on the boy’s shoulder as he straightened. “It’s good to see you again, kid. Where have you been?”

The delight Khadgar had seen in the man’s eyes made all of his fears melt away like wax before a fire. “Where have _you been_?” He shot back at the older man. “You haven’t gotten groceries in weeks. And you look exhausted. Is everything alright?”

Lothar laughed hoarsely despite himself. “You haven’t met Draka, have you? She worked here for a long time; anyway, she’s out on maternity leave, so until we hire someone to replace her, I’ve picked up most of her hours. Well, Karos is helping too, but I’m doing most of her work. And my work. So, pretty much all of the work, really. Turns out, it’s hard to take orders, make coffee, and buss tables all at once.”

Khadgar had to fight the urge to touch the man, brush his hair back, caress his face, anything. He desperately wanted to take care of him, make everything better. He didn’t even care why he felt this way; he just knew that he wanted Lothar to be happy.

Lothar stopped suddenly, biting his lower lip as a thought entered his mind. He considered Khadgar for a moment, the younger man shrinking slightly under his scrutinizing gaze. 

“What is it, Lothar? You alright?”

“You know, we’re right down the street from KTU here.” Lothar started. “If you could pick up a part-time job during the semester, any help we could get here would be great. I’m sure I could get Karos to hire you; he and I go way back. I mean, I understand if you can’t; it must be hard to go to college and have a job at the same time- you have to rest too- but if you want to think about it-”

“That would be perfect, actually.” Khadgar agreed, nodding slowly to himself as he thought everything over, focus knitting his brows together. “I wouldn’t have to quit Country Market because I’m already leaving when the semester starts, and I could walk here from my dorm…”

“Wait, you’re living on campus, and you _don’t_ have a job?” Lothar interjected. Khadgar shuffled his feet.

“Not exactly. My parents want me to focus on my studies. They’re helping me pay for room and board, of course. Still, I don’t know if it will be enough. With my savings, scholarships, and their money, I would definitely have enough to pay for all my classes, but room and board alone is almost as much as tuition, so I don’t know if I’ll have enough. And even if I do, I don’t know what I’ll do for next semester, especially if I don’t have a job during the school year.” Khadgar rambled, not sure why he let himself talk so much. Lothar was just so comfortable to talk to and be around, he felt the words spilling unbidden from his lips.

“Move in with me.”

The statement hung in the air between them, neither of them entirely sure it had actually been said. Khadgar’s eyebrows arched up slowly. 

“Beg your pardon?”

Lothar was suddenly very interested in the rag he had been using to clean. “I mean… if you wanted to crash in my apartment, I could repurpose the study into a makeshift bedroom for a while. You could stay when you had classes or when you work--I’m sure you’ll get the job here. I mean, if you want to, that is. You don’t have to. No pressure. Honestly. I know when people say ‘no pressure’ it usually implies that there is some kind of pressure, but honestly, no pressure. Just consider it, if you want, you could save some money that way.”

Khadgar was silent for a while after Lothar stopped talking, letting the gravity of the proposal sink in fully. “I really wouldn’t want to impose.” he said finally. 

Lothar pierced him with that gaze that took his breath away. “I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t serious. You wouldn’t be imposing at all, Khadgar, I swear.”

Khadgar nodded, mulling over the whole situation again in his head. This was platonic, he was sure. Lothar was just being a good friend. He wasn’t at all asking him to move in with him in any kind of romantic context, he knew that. Still, it didn’t stop his heart from beating at a mile a minute, his mind instantly racing back to the night they had kissed. He tried desperately to keep that thought from his mind as he smiled up at Lothar. 

“I mean, if you’re sure. It would be really helpful; I’d really appreciate it. Thank you.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You can have this job on one condition..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait! I actually feel really bad about making you guys wait, so I combined Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 into one long chapter. Hopefully it satisfies your sweet tooth enough for you to forgive me! As always, thanks to Alyrianna for being lovely and beta reading. And thanks to you guys for sticking with the fic this long!

Khadgar pulled anxiously at the front of his suit jacket. It was hot outside, no doubt, but he wanted to look professional. He had debated with himself for hours that morning trying to figure out what to wear; he had finally decided on wearing a black suit jacket over a white button-up shirt and dark jeans--he didn’t want to look desperate, and he felt that the jeans added an air of casual confidence. He hoped they did, anyway. 

As he sat in the coffee shop, thankful that the air conditioning kept him from sweating in his jacket, he hoped he was making the right decision. His parents had been reluctant, of course, to let him move in with some man he had only met about two months ago. He had considered not telling them, just letting them assume that he was still living on campus, but they would have to see the bills from KTU in order to help pay, so they would find out if he wasn’t paying room and board. He had finally convinced them that it was only to save money, that he would be completely safe, and that he certainly wasn’t romantic with this man.

Was he?

Khadgar worried at his lower lip. He wasn’t sure what Lothar was to him anymore; they had shared a kiss, yes, and one that they had both enjoyed; he was fairly certain. But that didn’t mean they were anything other than friends, did it? Neither of them had said anything about being romantic or moving their relationship to the next step, so they were still just friends, right? Khadgar knew he was horribly inexperienced with romance and relationships, and for once in his life he wished he wasn’t. He wished he could figure out exactly how Lothar felt about him, and exactly how he felt about Lothar as well. He had never felt this way about anyone, especially not another man. Was that even okay? He had no idea. He couldn’t really put his emotions into words--the only words that came to mind when he tried to explain it were words like “warm” and “comfortable”, which didn’t make any sense in context. It was maddening, and yet he wouldn’t trade this feeling for anything in the world. 

“Sorry, mate,” Karos said from behind him, clapping a hand on Khadgar’s shoulder as he startled him from his musings, “Got caught in traffic on the way here. Are you ready for your interview?’

Khadgar nodded, smiling brightly as Karos took the seat across the table. 

“Alright then, let’s get into it. Did you want anything to drink?” Karos offered.

Khadgar shook his head. “I’m fine, thank you.”

Karos nodded shortly. “Right, so I’ll be straight with you, Khadgar. We need you more than you need us. I’d basically be begging you to work here if I knew you didn’t want the job. You do want the job, right?” 

Khadgar nodded, staying silent to as not disrupt the positive momentum of the conversation.

“Right, so really this is just a formality. Lothar can’t keep working himself like he has been, but he insists on taking all the hours himself so I can be home with my wife, which is really quite nice of him. Still, I hate to see him do this to himself. It’s not healthy. Ah, I’m ranting, aren’t I? Anyway, basically what I’m saying is that if you want the job, you can have the job.”

Khadgar nodded, pride and gratefulness blooming in his chest like wildflowers in the sun. “Thank you very much.” he said.

Karos waved a hand casually. “Don’t mention it. Like I said, we need you more than you need us, I’m sure. If you don’t mind me asking, how much are you making over at that grocery store?”

“Eight-fifty an hour.” Khadgar replied.

Karos nodded. “Tell you what, I can offer you ten-fifty starting. How does that sound?”

Khadgar had to force himself not to hug Karos from across the table. “That sounds perfect, thank you.” he said, forcing his voice to remain professional. 

“Lothar says you’re very good with customers.” Karos mentioned. “You’re very friendly and personable. Have you ever worked in a cafe?”

Khadgar shook his head, hoping he hadn’t blushed too hard knowing that Lothar spoke about him so positively. 

“Right, we’ll train you, then. Teach you how to make coffee and pastries and such. Sound good?” 

Khadgar nodded, unable to stop himself from grinning widely. 

Karos made to stand before he remembered something, fixing Khadgar with a stare that made his chest tight with worry. “Oh, I almost forgot,” he said, his voice low, “You can have this job on one condition: don’t be gay with Lothar during store hours, alright?”

Karos laughed brightly as a blush burned crimson on Khadgar’s cheeks. 

********

“I can carry the boxes, Lothar.” Khadgar insisted, unable to keep the pout from his lips. He watched as Lothar tried to gather all of the boxes at once, determined to carry them all in one trip.

“No, I got it, don’t worry,” Lothar assured him. 

“At least let me carry one.” Khadgar pleaded. “I don’t want you to break your back over this.”

“I thought I told you not to worry about it, kid.” Lothar teased. “Can you close the trunk? I don’t have a hand.” 

Khadgar obliged, rolling his eyes as Lothar began making his way to the apartment building. He walked slightly behind Lothar, ready to catch any boxes that could potentially fall as they walked across the parking lot. 

“Over there is the main office, and on the other side of the building is a pool. There’s a park just down that trail there.” Lothar told him, pointing with his chin. “I’ll get you a parking pass so you can park in the reserved spaces, but for now you can park here in the visitor’s lot.”

“Thanks again, Lothar, for letting me stay here. It really is helpful.” Khadgar said. Lothar chuckled.

“Don’t mention it, kid.” 

Lothar stopped abruptly as they reached the door, causing Khadgar to almost run into him. He stared at the door handle, brow furrowed.

“What’s wrong?” Khadgar asked. 

“I don’t have a hand.” Lothar said again.“You’re going to have to open the door. Can you get my keys? They’re in my back pocket.”

Khadgar stared, eyes wide as he considered this information. “Uh, yeah, um, no problem. Uh, which pocket?”

“The back one, on the right side.” Lothar replied. 

Khadgar hesitated, biting at his lip as he reached forward slowly. He slipped his hand into Lothar’s back pocket, praying that Lothar couldn’t see the blush on his face as he grabbed the keys. He couldn’t stop himself from lingering over Lothar’s ass for a moment before pulling the keys out and stepping forward to unlock the door. He glanced at Lothar, surprised to see the pink that danced across the older man’s cheeks. 

As they made their way to Lothar’s apartment, Lothar pointed out where the mailboxes were, where the stairs were, which elevator was faster. Khadgar nodded, doing his best to retain the information as his mind kept musing over Lothar’s ass. He couldn’t help it. ‘ _Stop being so gay._ ’ Khadgar chastised himself. ‘ _You’re going to ruin everything._ ’

“This is it.” Lothar said as he stopped in front of a door.

“Which key is it?” Khadgar asked, shuffling the keys in his hand. 

“Square one.” Lothar replied, shifting the boxes in his arms. Khadgar nodded, locating the key in question and turning it in the key hole with a click. He pushed the door open, allowing Lothar to step through first and closing the door behind them. 

Lothar set the boxes down with a soft grunt, stretching his back as he straightened. “The bathroom is down the hall, second door down.” he told Khadgar with a wave of his hand. “The first door is the laundry closet. The bedroom is at the end of the hall on the left; the study is on the right. I’ve put an air mattress there for now.” Khadgar nodded slowly as he took mental notes, his eyes wandering around the living space they stood in. “The kitchen is behind this wall here.” Lothar continued. “That’s the balcony, through those doors.”

A gentle purring interrupted their stationary tour, and Khadgar looked down as a particularly fat orange cat rubbed itself against his legs. 

“Ah, that’s Gryphon.” Lothar said as he stooped to scoop the cat up in his arms, rubbing his nose into thick, orange fur. The cat purred loudly, stretching as he pressed a paw against Lothar’s cheek. Khadgar couldn’t help but laugh.

“I never expected you to have a cat.” he admitted with a grin. “It suits you.”

Lothar rolled his eyes over the mess of fur that had melted into his arms. 

Khadgar set his bag down by the side of the couch. “Thanks again for letting me stay here, Lothar. It really does mean a lot to me.”

“Hey, no problem.” Lothar said with a smile as he set Gryphon on the floor. 

“It really does take a lot of pressure off, since I’ll be making more money now and I won’t have to spend it on room and board. I’ll be able to save a lot for next semester. Really, I can’t thank you enough.”

Lothar ruffled Khadgar’s dark locks, smiling fondly at him. “Don’t sweat it, kid.”

Khadgar looked up at him, mischief in his brown eyes as he smirked. “Are you blushing?”

“Of course not.” Lothar sneered, shoving Khadgar gently as the boy laughed at his rapidly darkening cheeks. 

********

“No, no.” Lothar sighed, hardly bothering to rein back the exasperation in his voice. “Do it like this.”

Shivers ran up and down Khadgar’s spine as Lothar wrapped his arms around him from behind, taking his hands gently in his own. He guided Khadgar’s motion, teaching him the slow, methodical movements necessary to get the foam on top of the cappuccino to swirl into a delicate pattern atop the coffee. 

“There, see?” 

Khadgar nodded. He would never forget that particular lesson, he was sure of it. 

Lothar withdrew his hands, stepping back slightly to grab a jar of cinnamon as Khadgar caught his breath. Karos had specifically instructed Lothar to train Khadgar, saying that Lothar was the best coffee-make they had and would, therefore, be the best teacher. Still, he had winked slyly at Khadgar as he left the two of them alone in the kitchen.

Khadgar didn’t know it, but Karos knew more than he let on. He and Lothar were fairly close after working together for so long, and Lothar had talked to Karos in detail about the whole situation with Khadgar. It wasn’t at all rare at this point for Karos to end a conversation by rolling his eyes and saying, “Just _fuck_ already.”

“Here, just add the finishing touch, and it’s good to serve.” Lothar said with a smile. He reached an arm around Khadgar’s, being sure to brush the boy’s waist as he moved to dust a pinch of cinnamon over the cappuccino. He chuckled as he watched the familiar blush rise to Khadgar’s face. He knew the touch was completely unnecessary, but that didn’t stop him from doing it. If he could have his way, he would be touching Khadgar constantly. Still, flirtatiousness aside, he didn’t want to overstep the boy’s boundaries. They lived together now, after all; he couldn’t afford to make things awkward. 

Lothar watched as the boy walked around the counter, carrying the cappuccino to its table. He smiled brightly at the customer, light conversation flowing easily between them. Lothar smiled to himself as he watched, realizing just how fond of Khadgar he had become. He was endeared by how quickly Khadgar learned the ropes; it was only his first day, but he was already proficient with the cash register and the different machines. Secretly, he hoped Khadgar would be a slower study when it came to drink-making. He was enjoying teaching Khadgar about his passion, and he didn’t want it to be over just yet.

Khadgar returned with a gentle smile. “I really enjoy working here so far.” he told Lothar. “I understand now, why you get that look in your eyes when you prepare something. I never knew you put so much effort into this; you make it look so easy.”

Lothar smirked. “I want to make people the best drinks I can make them, that’s all. People come in here from all different walks of life; everyone is so individual. You ever get that feeling that every person you come across is living an equally complex and intricate existence as your own? I get it a lot when I work here. There’s something calming about it, really.” He caught himself rambling and chuckled, letting his eyes fall to his feet. “Sorry, I’m not usually such a sap.”

“Aren’t you?” Khadgar teased. “That’s a shame. It’s kind of attractive.” A laugh bubbled up from his chest as Lothar’s cheeks turned pink. Lothar wasn’t the only one who could be shamelessly flirtatious. 

*********

“Karos, are you busy?”

Karos looked up from his paperwork to find Lothar hanging in the doorway to the kitchen. He shook his head, motioning for Lothar to sit. “What’s on your mind?”

“I thought the point of hiring Khadgar was so he could take some of Draka’s hours.”

“Yes.”

Lothar sighed, exasperation apparent on his face. He crossed to Karos, standing over him indignantly. “Tell me, then, why do you have me and Khadgar on the exact same schedule _all week long?_ ”

Karos shrugged casually, but he couldn’t hide the twinkle in his eye as he looked up at Lothar. “You guys live together; I figured it would be convenient if you two could drive to work together as well.” 

Lothar’s eyes narrowed, piercing Karos with an icy stare. “You’re up to something.”

“Am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Am not.”

Lothar huffed at him, rolling his eyes. “It doesn’t make sense for us to work the same hours if he’s supposed to be covering Draka’s shifts.”

“Are you asking me to change it?”

“ _No._ ” Lothar said, blushing slightly at the desperation he heard in his own voice as Karos chuckled at him. He took a deep breath to compose himself. “No. I’m just curious because I feel like you’re doing it on purpose.”

“Look, Lothar,” Karos began, leaning back in his chair, “I’ve known you for a long time. It’s been awhile since you’ve been with anyone you’ve cared about like this. I’m just trying to help you two along, that’s all.”

Lothar bit his lower lip. He didn’t want to ruin what he and Khadgar had, that was certain. If things changed between them, there was the potential for things to be utterly ruined. He had seen that happen too many times before, and he wasn’t willing to let that happen with Khadgar. 

Karos leaned in. “Lothar,” he said sternly, “You have to talk to him.” He raised his eyebrows pointedly at Lothar as the man opened his mouth to protest, silencing him. “You _have_ to. Are you just gonna keep pining after him forever? Are you just gonna let him pine after _you_ forever?” That caused Lothar’s eyebrows to shoot up towards his hairline. Karos laughed shortly. “What, are you telling me you’re that oblivious, mate? It _has_ been too long for you.”

Lothar punched his shoulder lightly, eliciting another barking laugh from his manager.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for your patience!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re gonna have to jog my memory, it seems.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is shameful self indulgence on my part. After having them chase each other in circles for six chapters, I really went all out with this one. My muse lovingly referred to this scene in my pseudonotes as "toasted marshmallows". 
> 
> Thanks again to Alyrianna for beta reading, and thanks to you, the reader, for reading this far into the fic!

Khadgar leaned heavily against the wall of the elevator as it took him up to the apartment. He sighed, shifting the bags in his hands as he stared up at the ceiling. His first day of classes had gone well, admittedly. Still, starting a new semester was always rough, and anxiety had his stomach in a knot. He found himself thankful to be going home to Lothar rather than his parents. His parents always pressed him, asked too many questions. Lothar was just… comfortable. He didn’t have to ask; Khadgar always seemed to find himself telling Lothar all of his troubles, letting Lothar’s warm presence and the scent of his cologne soothe him. Lothar always smelled good, like musk and leather…

He shook the thought from his head, feeling heat in his cheeks. He really did blush too easily. Lothar made him painfully aware of that, as well as a few other feelings he had never felt before. 

He stepped out of the elevator as it chimed, depositing him on his floor. It was dark outside now; he had stayed out later than he had meant to, buying books and supplies to be prepared for the semester. He would organize them tonight--get all his notebooks ready, start color-coding everything. He hoped Lothar wouldn’t laugh at him. Well, no, that wasn’t entirely true. He hoped Lothar would tease him a bit, maybe ruffle his hair…

‘ _Stop that_.’ he told himself sternly as he dug in his pockets for his keys. He found the door unlocked, which surprised him a bit, but he merely shrugged to himself and entered the apartment. 

Gryphon greeted him at the door, purring and rubbing against his legs like he did every day when Khadgar came home. The boy let himself laugh a bit, stooping to scratch behind the cat’s ears.

“Welcome back.” Lothar called from the couch. He smiled, but Khadgar could see something else in his eyes--worry? concern?

Khadgar returned the smile. “Thanks.” he replied as he entered the kitchen. He set his bags on the table and slipped his sweater off of his shoulders, draping it across the back of a chair. He turned back to Lothar, crossing to the couch and sitting next to his roommate. “How was your day?”

“It was fine, it… Khadgar, we need to talk.”

Khadgar’s heart dropped like a rock. A wave of anxiousness overtook him as a million thoughts swarmed into his head like hornets. Was Lothar upset? Did he want Khadgar to move out? Had Khagar accidentally crossed a line? Lothar was clearly serious; his voice was low, and his eyes were like a stormy sea. Khadgar felt his heart flutter in his chest as he stared into those eyes... God, they were gorgeous. 

Khadgar cursed himself silently as he forced himself to smile at Lothar. “Alright, what’s up?” he said innocently.

Lothar licked his lip slowly, carefully choosing the right words. “Remember that night that you returned from vacation? The night we kissed in the coffee shop?” he said slowly.

Khadgar nodded, a lump lodging itself in his throat. They hadn’t spoken about that night; he had kind of hoped they never would. He was still horribly embarrassed about the whole thing, especially Karos walking in on them now that Karos was his manager as well. 

“Tell me how you feel about that.” Lothar said, piercing Khadgar with his stormy gaze. Khadgar struggled to catch his breath.

“Well, I, uh… well, how do _you_ feel about it?” Khadgar returned, tossing the ball back to Lothar’s court. He really didn’t want to be the first to admit how he felt. 

Lothar chuckled a bit, leaning back into the couch. “Well,” he began, throwing caution to the wind, “I did kiss you first. You’re not stupid. You should be able to gather how I feel about it.”

Khadgar smirked cheekily. “And you can’t figure out how I feel?” he challenged. Lothar cocked an eyebrow at him inquisitively. “You’ve had far more experience with relationships than I have. And, if I remember correctly, I opened my mouth first. Can’t you guess how I feel?”

Both of Lothar’s eyebrows perked up at that, something devilish lurking in his blue eyes. Khadgar could feel his heart pound as Lothar leaned in, biting his lower lip. “Hmm,” the man hummed, his voice low in his throat, “I don’t think I remember that well enough to tell you for sure, bookworm.” he teased. “You’re gonna have to jog my memory, it seems.”

Khadgar rolled his eyes, huffing. “I’m inexperienced, not stupid.” he pointed out. “I know you’re baiting me, you flirtatious ass.”

“Is it working?” Lothar’s eyes glittered mischievously. 

“You tell me.” Khadgar threw back.

He didn’t give Lothar the chance to respond, however. He grabbed the front of the man’s shirt, pulling him into a firm kiss. He couldn’t stop his lips from parting just like they had that night, and he trembled when he felt Lothar’s tongue slip into his mouth. A moan bubbled up from his throat, but it was smothered by Lothar’s lips as the man deepened the kiss, pressing his body against Khadgar’s. Khagar felt the man’s hands on his wrists as he pushed Khadgar back into the couch, forcing him to lay down so Lothar was on top of him. He pulled Khadgar’s wrists up above the boy’s head, pushing them into the pillow with one hand. His knees pressed against the younger man’s hips, which Khadgar ground up into him. Lothar felt himself melt against Khadgar, letting a moan escape his lips despite himself. He felt Khadgar tremble beneath him as the sound vibrated between them.

Lothar pulled back a bit, laughing slightly as he watched Khadgar lean up to catch him. Lothar held him down firmly, his grasp on the boy’s wrists tightening as he pinned them to the couch beneath him. Khadgar’s eyes were alight with desire as he stared up into Lothar’s face, pleading silently as he bit his bruised lips. He struggled a bit under Lothar’s grip, eliciting another chuckle from Lothar, deep and low in the man’s throat. 

“Going somewhere?” he teased, something almost predatory in his voice. A chill went down Khadgar’s spine as he realized he was completely at Lothar’s mercy, but the chill was soon replaced by a blushing heat as he realized that he loved it. He arched his back a bit, a subtle motion that didn’t go unnoticed by Lothar, who licked his lips in response. “What’s the rush, bookworm? No one’s going to barge in on us this time...:”

Lothar let his free hand move slowly down Khadgar’s arm, gently caressing his pale skin and leaving goosebumps in the wake of his fingers. They moved delicately, though they didn’t hide an ounce of the man’s desire as he brushed Khadgar’s shoulders, his jaw, his neck. He continued slowly, pressing his fingers into the younger man’s collarbone, greeting the gasp he heard escape Khadgar’s lips with a chuckle as he dug his nails into the young man’s chest through his shirt. He let his hand slip over Khadgar’s stomach, pressing his palm into his abs before lifting his hand when they reached Khadgar’s waistband. He hooked his thumb into the fabric around Khadgar’s hips, smiling devilishly down at the boy as he looked back into Khadgar’s brown eyes. 

The boy was blushing madly the entire way to his neck, causing Lothar to laugh, a rumbling sound like thunder that caused Khadgar’s blush to deepen. He arched his back up further, pressing his hips almost aggressively into Lothar’s. He returned Lothar’s wicked smile as he heard the older man’s breath catch. Lothar bit his lip, letting his hand trace the bones of Khadgar’s hips. He wrapped his hand firmly around the curve of the younger man’s body, pushing those devilish hips down into the couch. He was in complete control now--both of them knew it, though it was impossible to tell which of them it excited more.

Lothar couldn’t keep his lips to himself any longer. He leaned down, pressing his torso against Khadgar’s. The younger man parted his lips slightly, but Lothar turned his head at the last minute, lips brushing Khadgar’s jaw as he moved to the sensitive skin just below the younger man’s ear. Khadgar gasped, back arching again despite himself, as he felt Lothar’s teeth scrape against the scruff on his neck. Lothar worked the spot skillfully, his sharp teeth leaving marks on the boy’s pale skin as his shrewd tongue swirled deftly around the indents his teeth had left moments before. His nails dug into the skin of Khadgar’s hip, which bucked up against his grip in response.

Lothar’s lips pulled into a wicked grin against Khadgar’s skin as he bit particularly hard, causing Khadgar to whimper despite himself. He planted a gentle kiss on the bruise that was now blossoming beneath Khadgar’s pale skin before sliding back, releasing his grasp on the boy. He placed both hands on Khadgar’s chest, pushing against him as he lifted himself slowly off the couch. Khadgar blinked up at him, lips parted tantalizingly as he stared at the older man. 

“W-wait, where are you going?” Khadgar breathed, panting slightly. Even though his hands were now free, he laid completely still save for the heaving of his chest. 

Lothar didn’t say a word as he made his way slowly to his bedroom door. He peered around the corner of the hallway, fixing Khadgar with a piercing stare as he bit his lip, raising his eyebrow as an invitation.

Khadgar didn’t hesitate. He scrambled off the couch, allowing Lothar to lead him to the bedroom. Lothar opened the door for him, gesturing for him to go first like a proper gentleman. Khadgar smirked as he was ushered in, hearing Lothar close the door behind them. He heard a drawer open behind him, but before he could turn to face Lothar, he felt the man’s hands on him, grabbing him roughly and pushing him onto the bed. He squirmed instinctively, a gasp slipping over his lips as one arm was pinned behind his back, the other pinned to the bed beside his head. 

“Oh, are you uncomfortable?” Lothar purred, pushing his weight onto the man beneath him. 

“N-no.” Khadgar stammered as he felt the older man lean over him. He bit his lip as he failed to stifle a moan when he felt Lothar’s lips press against his back. 

Without warning, Lothar flipped him onto his back, grabbing Khadgar’s wrists and pinning them roughly beside the boy’s head. He smiled hungrily down at Khadgar. “Better?”

Khadgar merely nodded, unable to form proper words as Lothar climbed onto the bed, his knee wedging between Khadgar’s thighs. He held still even as Lothar’s hands released his wrists to slide down his body, his touch as smooth as silk. Lothar paused where Khadgar’s shirt lifted slightly, exposing a strip of skin just above his waist. His fingers twisted at the fabric as he lifted it slowly, letting his fingers brush Khadgar’s skin as he felt the heat practically radiating off of the younger man. He pulled the shirt gently over Khadgar’s head, forcing the younger man’s arms together as he removed the cloth.

Lothar seized the opportunity, grabbing one of Khadgar’s wrists with one hand as he pulled a set of leather hand cuffs from his back pocket, which he fastened to Khadgar’s wrist with a surprising swiftness. He wrapped the chain behind one of the rungs of his bedframe before grabbing Khadgar’s free wrist, securely locking it into place with the other cuff. He leaned back slightly, letting his hand fall to Khadgar’s chest as he smiled wickedly down at the younger man beneath him. 

“Where.. did you get those?” Khadgar asked between breaths. Lothar shifted his weight, bringing his knees up to either side of Khadgar’s waist. 

“It’s been a while,” Lothar mused, leaning in close, “But I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. Or, in my drawers, rather.” He planted several firm kisses on Khadgar’s bare chest, feeling the young man squirm beneath him. He let his teeth scrape Khadgar’s skin once more, teasing him before sliding back slowly, letting his hands trace Khadgar’s figure as he lifted himself slowly off the bed. 

“L-Lothar,” the boy stammered, “what are you doing?” He struggled slightly against the restraints as Lothar straightened, crossing casually to his bedside table. The older man picked up a pack of cigarettes, tossing them in his hands as he pretended to examine them. Slowly and smoothly, he withdrew a cigarette, bringing it to his mouth and letting it rest between his parted lips. He reached for his lighter, flicking it open and letting the flame lick the end of the cigarette. He inhaled slowly, sitting down on the side of the bed with an air of maddening casualness. He could feel Khadgar shifting his weight on the bed behind him, struggling absentmindedly against his bonds.

Lothar cast him a piercing gaze over his shoulder, causing Khadgar’s breath to catch in his throat. Smoke billowed from Lothar’s mouth as he pulled the cigarette from his lips and exhaled towards Khadgar, thin wisps dancing across Khadgar’s bare skin. 

“Ever smoked before, bookworm?” Lothar teased. Khadgar shook his head, his tongue darting out to moisten his suddenly dry lips. Lothar chuckled, bringing the cigarette to his mouth once more. He let it rest there as he turned, bringing his knees up onto the bed. He crawled over top of Khadgar, straddling the boy’s waist once more as he inhaled deeply, the end of the cigarette glowing almost as red as Khadgar’s cheeks.

Lothar parted his lips, letting the smoke pour slowly over Khadgar’s exposed chest and neck. Despite the heat that caressed his skin, Khadgar felt chills run over him, watching the smoke escape Lothar’s mouth and nose. He inhaled, letting the smoke and scent of tobacco fill his nose and mouth. He found himself loving the taste of it, loving the feeling of the warmth sneaking down his throat as he breathed deeply. He exhaled slowly, letting the haze hang between them. 

As Lothar leaned in, making the smoke swirl around in the air between them, Khadgar let his eyes flutter shut. He wanted to live in this exact moment for the rest of eternity: the scent of smoke dancing in the air, the feeling of warmth as Lothar pressed their bodies together, the taste of Lothar’s lips as he pushed them into Khadgar’s once more. 

More than anything else, Khadgar wanted to remember the feeling on his skin as Lothar’s hand ran up the inside of his thigh, fingers deftly unfastening the button of his pants…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's one more short chapter to conclude this little saga of a man and his bookworm. Thanks so much for reading this far!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What are we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to wrap up this fic on an excessively sweet note. I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit sad to see it end. This has been a joy to write, and everyone's been so supportive. Thanks again to Alyrianna for beta reading, and thanks to all of you for reading this the whole way through!

Warm light danced across Khadgar’s face when he woke, the scent of smoke still lingering in the air. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter before letting them flutter halfway open, inhaling deeply. He made to roll over onto his side when he realized he couldn’t move. 

He opened his eyes the rest of the way, glancing down at his body. He traced the strong arms that wrapped around his waist back to the man that lay sleeping next to him, hugging him tighter than anyone should be able to even when they were awake. Lothar’s head was buried in his neck, the man’s beard scratching at him slightly as his sweet breath tickled his skin. He let himself smile slightly as his head fell back into the pillow. He was still sore, but it was a good kind of sore, he decided. 

He reached his free arm toward the bedside table, hand patting the surface absently before it found his phone, which he grabbed and brought to his face. It was only half past five o’clock, and he had a new message from Garona.

Garona: How’s the boyfriend, ace boy?

He smirked, stifling a laugh so as not to disturb the man sleeping nearly on top of him. He didn’t have class until ten o’clock, but he knew he would never be able to get back to sleep. He lay still, breathing deeply for a while before he shifted his weight a bit.

Lothar’s grip on his torso tightened at the movement. Khadgar chuckled a bit at this, turning his head back to look at Lothar. The man’s bright blue eyes were fixed on him from under heavy eyelids. He absentmindedly pressed a few gentle kisses into Khadgar’s skin before turning his head, nestling it further into the crook of Khadgar’s neck. 

“Morning, love.” he murmured, his voice muffled in Khadgar’s neck. Khadgar felt his heart skip a beat at the sudden gentleness. 

“Good morning.” he replied, reaching up to stroke Lothar’s hair fondly. He twirled absentmindedly at the soft locks as his fingers ran through it in long, slow strokes. 

They laid still for a long while, letting the sun dance across the sheets that covered them, silently enjoying each other’s company. 

“What do you want to eat for breakfast?” Lothar mumbled finally, his voice gravelly from sleep. 

“I don’t know; I usually don’t eat breakfast.” Khadgar replied softly, not wanting to disturb the tenderness of the moment. Lothar shifted his weight to look up at him, resting his chin on Khadgar’s bare chest. Khadgar gazed into the ocean that was Lothar’s eyes, feeling like he could get lost in them forever and not even care. 

“Well, that won’t do at all.” Lothar chuckled. “I’m going to make you the best waffles you’ve ever eaten in your entire life.” he said decidedly, leaving no room for argument. 

When Lothar continued to lay still for the next several minutes, Khadgar raised an eyebrow. “Well? Get to it, then.”

Lothar sighed, burying his face in Khadgar’s chest. “I don’t want to move right now. I don’t want to move ever again, I think.”

Khadgar smiled, closing his eyes as he let Lothar’s warmth wash over him. “Me neither.”

“Let’s just never move again, then.” Lothar decided, his breath and beard tickling Khadgar’s bare skin. 

They laid still for another long while, letting the comfortable silence hang in the air around them, as they simply enjoyed each other’s presence. Khadgar ran his fingers through Lothar’s soft hair, feeling the man’s slow, steady breathing. 

“What are we?” Khadgar mumbled softly. He didn’t really know who he was asking, truth be told. Lothar looked up at him again.

“Human.” he teased.

“No, what are _we_?” Khadgar asked again. “You and I. What are we?”

Lothar’s brow furrowed a bit. “I dunno.” he mumbled sleepily. “What do you want us to be?”

Khadgar bit at his lower lip as he let the thought roll around in his mind. 

“We must be more than friends now.” he figured. “But we’re not dating, are we? I don’t know much about this kind of thing, and--”

“You talk too much,” Lothar interrupted. Khadgar glanced down at him, and found his heart skipping a beat as Lothar’s eyes crackled like lightning. “Besides,” he continued, “I don’t care what we are as long as I’m with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks very much for reading! Please feel free to leave constructive criticism, or shoot me a prompt on my tumblr: ocarinaenthusiast.tumblr.com


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